Life may end, but memories last forever
by CCNilesBabcock
Summary: UPDATE - I decided to turn this one shot in a short story, hope you enjoy! "Nothing is really lost to us, as long as we remember it." L.M. Montgomery. Niles reminisces about life with his late wife. How long will it be until they are reunited? Read and find out! A little sad, but I am quite pleased with it.
1. Chapter 1

_**Life may end, but memories last forever**_

 _"Would you like a picture with your wife?" The young photographer asked Niles._

" _Of course! Come here Babcock," Niles helped a heavily pregnant CC get up of her seat, and positioned her just before him, with her back resting comfortably against his broad chest. He laid his hand over her protuberant stomach, and felt hers cupping his cheek._

" _Niles, I thought you knew my kind can't appear in photos," CC teased._

" _Oh_ , _that's nonsense! They also said vampires can't go out in the sun, yet here you are_!"

 _The couple laughed lightly and Niles dropped a kiss on her cheek. For a second, they forgot about the world around them, and the two Brightmores just gazed at each other, both wearing twin grins on their faces. The sound of the photographer clearing his throat brought them out of their daydream, and again they posed for the picture._

 _"Uh… ok… Now, please, smile!" the young man asked them, amused by their odd behaviour._

 _The loud flash of the camera was heard, and immediately the film sheet rolled out of the camera. Niles payed the young man as he handed them the Polaroid picture, and the couple sat back down on their table._

Niles was awoken by the piercing sound of his alarm clock. As he stretched in bed, his eyes traveled to the photo hanging just in front of his bed, and smiled. Dreaming about her always put him in a good mood.

He still remembered that day the picture was taken like it had happened yesterday. He had taken CC out for lunch to a tiny Italian restaurant he knew, when a young photographer had approached them and took the photo. At the beginning, CC was reluctant of the place, but as soon as she had tasted their pasta, his wife had fallen in love with it. They had begun eating there every Thursday, and after Michael -their youngest child- was born, they would drop by every once in a while.

Over two years had gone by since his beautiful wife had passed away, and life without her was proving to be a challenge. They had been married for 44 wonderful years, and it all had come to an end when Niles woke up one morning and found the lifeless body of his wife lying by his side. Apparently, she had passed away in her sleep, and hadn't suffered one bit. The one who did suffer, however, was Niles... he had always thought he'd die before her, and when the opposite happened, he felt like he had been slapped in the face.

The first months after her death, Niles had been a walking corpse; he had lacked the energy to do even the simplest of activities, and for a long time he couldn't bear to even mention CC's name. With the help of his four kids he slowly got better, and when the first anniversary of her death had gone past, he promised himself he'd try to go on... he knew CC wouldn't have liked him to give up, so he tried to go on just for her. He started spending a lot of time with his children and grandchildren, who were more than glad to keep him company. But no matter how hard he tried, or how many times he visited both his family and her grave, the feeling of loss was always there...

He still couldn't believe how fast life had gone by... but now that she wasn't there, it seemed eternal. They had been enemies for eighteen torturous years before finding each other, and when they finally did, he experienced the most blissful 44 years of his life. They went through so much together... he still remembered the excitement they felt when they had discovered about her first pregnancy after their shotgun wedding, and after Elisabeth was born, they had discovered that the wild and exhilarating adventure called 'parenthood' suited them. The move to Cali, however, hadn't suited them at all; C.C. hated Hollywood since day one, and shortly after their arrival, she talked with Maxwell and resigned her partnership. The small family had returned to New York, where C.C. set up her own company, which soon became a resounding success. Niles became a stay at home dad, but he soon returned to being a butler when the Sheffields decided to go back to New York after the 6th season of their successful sitcom ended. Max didn't return to being a producer, though, he turned into one of C.C.'s most faithful backers, and in return, C.C. managed his stockings and investments.

Life by her side had been, by far, the best adventure he had ever had; it wasn't always easy, they had had their fights and disagreements, but they had learnt to overcome the bumps and lumps in their path. They had four beautiful children, who gave them grandchildren, and Niles even got to know his first great grandkid: a little girl named Chastity (In honour of C.C., of course).

Over the years, their relationship had evolved and grown, gotten stronger... to the point where they needed the other to survive. That's why C.C.'s death had been a bitter pill to swallow, the light in his life had gone out. He still remembered the day of her funeral; he had been the first person to arrive, and the moment he had caught a glimpse of her body, Niles' knees hadn't been able hold him. His wife had been laid in an elegant casket, her head resting comfortably on a pillow, and her hands had been entwined over her stomach. CC had been dressed with a beautiful pale blue dress, and they had taken all her rings from her fingers, except for her wedding band, as he had asked. The pain of losing his wife was unbearable, it hurt to breathe, to eat, to sleep... nothing made sense without her. She had been part of his life for 62 years, and she had been the woman of his life...

He missed her. He needed her. He needed his baby by his side.

Heaving a melancholic sigh, Niles got out of bed, and made his way downstairs, Edgar (who was a little pug Niles had adopted shortly after CC's demise) followed him closely. He cooked himself breakfast, put it on a tray, and headed for the stairs; after CC died, Niles usually had breakfast in bed, he just couldn't bear sitting by himself in the kitchen. But that morning, just before he climbed the first step, he turned around and walked back to the kitchen. Niles quickly set the table for two, just like he had done every morning when CC was alive, looked for the paper and sat down. As he nibbled on his food, he put Edgar on his lap and absentmindedly petted his little head.

The butler stared at her empty place, and could almost see her sitting there, in her oversized pyjamas, with her hair tousled and a big cup of coffee in her hand. She would tuck her loose golden locks behind her ears before taking a bite of her breakfast, and afterwards she would always exclaim 'Niles, this is good!' with a wide smile on her face. He remembered all the lazy Sunday mornings when she'd stay in her pyjamas for longer than usual, or the times when she'd stay in them the whole day long. He remembered how they'd joke about their unkempt appearance, throwing quips and barbs at each other as if there was no tomorrow.

As memories from her flooded his mind, something inside him told him everything would be alright, and he flashed a longing smile at the empty chair. How fun life had been by her side, he thought, how precious and fulfilling. Niles sighed loudly, and fed Edgar a bit of the remains of his breakfast before taking his plate to the sink.

Around midday, both Edgar and Niles stepped out of the mansion, and headed to the park. It was a sunny autumn day in New York; there was a chill in the air, and the golden rays of the sun bathed the city with its golden light. The trees were naked, their scarlet, brown and yellow leaves adorned the dull, grey sidewalk with an autumnal hue. Edgar entertained himself by running against the piles of fallen leaves, spilling them all over the place. Niles chuckled as he watched the little dog fooling around, for it reminded him of when Michael was little. Their son would run into every pile of leaves he came across with, gather a fair amount of them in his little hands and throw them into the air. He'd jump, giggling like mad, and try to catch the falling leaves with his hands. Many times Niles or CC had tried to help him, but he would insist on doing it by himself, so the couple had just stared at their son with utter parental endearment as he played.

The dry leaves crunched under Niles' feet as he strolled down the street. Occasionally one would fall past him, and slowly swayed to the floor, adding itself to the sea of fiery colors that covered the sidewalk like a big blanket. The smell of cinnamon lingered in the air, and Niles lowered his scarf a bit to take in the delicious scent. Just as he spotted the entrance to the park, a small sign caught his attention, and instantly the corners of his mouth curved into a smile. Just across the street, there was the little Italian restaurant he had been thinking about a few hours before, so he crossed the road, and sat on one of the outside tables, with Edgar on his lap.

"Hello sir, my name is Maureen, and I'll be your waitress today," a young girl spoke cheerfully, while handing him the menu "When you are ready to order, just call me!"

"Actually, I already know what I want," Niles replied with a gentle smile. "I'd like a Spaghetti alla carbonara, and a bottle of Chardonnay, please," he waited until the girl had finished writing down his order and handed the menu back.

"Very well sir! I'll bring you your wine and some bread in a minute!" Maureen said, and disappeared into the restaurant.

Niles took out his phone, and distracted himself with different games as he waited for his lunch. Edgar, who was wearing a cute orange sweater, had curled up into a ball and fallen asleep on his owner's lap. True to her word, in no time the waitress came back with his drink, and gracefully poured it into his cup. Niles thanked her with a short nod, and sipped a bit of wine. He observed the passer byers, and noticed how immersed in their own world each person was. He saw a bunch of teenagers, all with headphones on and using their phones, business men and women hurriedly walking through the streets and even a young couple strolling, hand in hand. He gave a half smile at the lovers, remembering his own strolls with his late wife.

"Niles Brightmore? Is that you?" a loud, throaty voice startled the former butler out of his reverie. Niles turned his head to find an elderly Italian man standing before him, and his face lit up. The man was the owner of the restaurant, and was an old acquaintance of both Niles and CC.

"Francisco, good to see you old man! How have you been?" Niles stood up and gave the man a tight hug, waking Edgar in the process. "It's been years since I last saw you!"

"I'm doing fantastic, this little place keeps on giving!" he chuckled, "How have you been? And where is that charming wife of yours?"

Niles gave the old man a saddened smile, "I'm doing well, thank you, and… uh... CC died a little over two years ago," Niles spoke in a quiet voice.

Francisco seemed shocked for a second, but immediately recovered, pulled his friend into another tight hug, and patted his back, "I am sorry, Niles, I didn't know."

"It's all right Francisco, no need to apologize."

The two men pulled away when Maureen brought Niles' order, so the butler sat back down, while Francisco shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"I hope the food is of your liking, my friend. I'll go back to the kitchen," Francisco shook Niles' hand lively. "I am truly sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Francisco," Niles said sincerely.

The Italian gave a half smile and began walking back to his restaurant, but suddenly stopped. He turned to Niles once again, and said "Your meal is on the house, Niles," the Englishman was about to protest, but Francisco rose a silencing hand, "Please, it's a gift. In her honor."

"Ok, Francisco, thank you very much," Niles' voice quivered.

The two men shared a knowing smile, and eventually Francisco returned to the kitchen, leaving a pensive Niles behind.

After he had finished her meal, he gave Francisco one last farewell, and headed to the cemetery. He had taken to visiting her grave every two weeks, and always brought new flowers with him. He always took lilies, her favorites.

Once he had crossed the tall entrance to the graveyard, the butler walked silently to her grave, with the bouquet of lilies in his hand. When he reached her resting place, he solemnly put the fresh flowers down, and sighed. The tall marble marking read:

' _ **Chastity Claire Brightmore. Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Friend**_ '

Those pathetic words didn't do justice to what CC had been to them, and especially to him.

Unbeknownst to Niles, CC's spirit stood next to him. The blonde looked exactly as she had when she had married Niles; her hair was short and blonde, and her ice blue eyes seemed to shimmer. The only difference was that she now looked wiser, as though death had given her a knowledge the living don't possess. CC had visited him many times since she had died, even if he couldn't see her... There were moments, however, when Niles would catch glimpses of her for a fraction of a second: he'd see a flash of her blue eyes on the mirror, a diffuse shadow in the middle of the night, or he'd simply perceive her essence floating in the air, enveloping him. She was there, of course, following him around wherever he went. CC had found that, no matter how many wonders there were in heaven, nothing entertained her more than following her husband around. She liked accompanying him, it soothed the longing for him a little.

Many times Niles would put on music, mostly old tunes from when they were young, and lay on their bed, remembering sweet times with his wife. She would lay next to him, and pretended he could see her and hold her as he had done when she was alive. She'd stay with him until he fell asleep, and whispered softly to his ear; her words repelled his nightmares, and helped him plunge into a deep sleep, filled with pleasant dreams. Of course there were days when he'd cry his eyes out, and CC would sit by his side and whisper tender memories from their life together, all of which ended up popping up in his mind and calmed him down.

Sometimes CC visited her children too, and relished on being able to observe her kids without them noticing her. In some way, it reminded her of when they were babies, and she'd spend hours just staring at them. Truth was, CC adored observing her loved ones enjoying their lives... It was strange,however, being an invisible observer of the unfolding of her relatives' lives… She was there, yet she wasn't. _She was in the air around the living, she was the oxygen they breathed,_ but her presence was ignored by them.

CC knew she shouldn't visit Earth so frequently, after all she was dead, and she was supposed to move on… but she couldn't help it, she missed her family so very much. Life was a perpetual yesterday for CC; she had become a memory, something of the past, a shadow… hanging around her family made her feel, in some way, less… gone.

There were days, however, when she would stay in heaven, exploring the different places in paradise. She'd go out for a walk with her sister, spend time with her father or Niles' parents, she'd play poker with Yetta, go out for lunch with Sylvia or she'd make bets with Noel… But if she really needed her peace and quiet, she retired to her personal haven, her very own little patch of heaven. CC had learnt that everybody had a haven in heaven, it was a quiet room that could only be accessed by its owner. In her haven CC had everything she wanted or needed, and there was an added sense of tranquility and wellbeing floating in the room. But heaven often felt dull and empty, for she had quickly discovered there was no heaven without him.

CC always accompanied him when he visited her grave, and even if she knew she couldn't speak to him, she could make him feel better. She remembered this one moment in their life where they had made love. The two had both been sick, and felt awful. Fran and Max had offered to take their four kids off of their hands for the night, so the two had been alone. Niles, being the protective husband he was, had tried to take care of CC even though he could barely talk and his throat hurt like hell. He had been rubbing this cream on her chest to soothe her sore chest, when she pulled Niles into her embrace and kissed him passionately. They made slow sweet love, and took care of each other, trying to make one another feel better. It was one of her favorite memories, and so she whispered in his ear.

" _Remember the love we made that time we were sick?"_

Niles couldn't actually hear her voice, but the moment did come to his head, and he smiled quietly to himself.

" _I love you, Mr Brightmore_ ," CC whispered again, enveloping him in her ethereal hug.

Niles felt a calm, warm sense wash over him. He was at peace with his wife's death, even though he still missed her terribly. CC gave him a kiss on the cheek, and Niles felt a cold rush of wind hit the side of his face. As much as he loved his family and his life, he couldn't wait to be with CC in heaven.

"And I love you, Mrs Brightmore."

* * *

 **AN: So, here you go! I hope you liked it :) Thanks for reading and I appreciate reviews!**

 **There is a quote from 'The Lovely Bones' , I added it (and it's in italics) to the story because I absolutely adored both the book and the quote in itself! I recommend everyone to read it!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

 _ **A Change Of Worlds**_

As the noon sunlight painted Manhattan in reddish tones, Niles sat by C.C.'s grave, just as he usually did whenever he came to visit her. He'd always sit on the floor and lean his back against the cold marble marking, and he'd silently reminisce about their life together. C.C. would normally stay, too, but for some strange reason, that day she felt the need to go back to Heaven.

After giving one last glance at her husband, the spirit glided away to the awaiting stairs that would take her to her heavenly home. C.C. still remembered the first time she had climbed them, which was the night she had died.

She remembered they had been snuggled together in bed, as usual, and just when she was about to fall asleep, she had heard a familiar voice calling her. The blonde had opened her eyes to find Sarah Sheffield standing by her bedside, smiling warmly at her. Of course the sight of her deceased friend had had struck her dumb, and she remembered she hadn't been able to move or speak... It had felt as though her body had simply decided not to respond to her commands… It had been then when C.C. had understood she had reached the end of her adventure, it was then when C.C. had understood that it was time to go...

* * *

" _Your time has come, my friend," Sarah whispered to her. "Close your eyes, C.C., and let yourself go."_

 _C.C. nodded faintly before giving one last glance at Niles and whispering her last words, "Goodbye, my love."_

 _And then, she finally dared to close her eyes..._

 _C.C. died with a smile on her face. Life had been wonderful, so she could go at peace._

 _The moment she reopened her eyes, the blonde found herself standing next to Sarah, and facing her lifeless physical body. The sight saddened her a bit, but not because she was dead, but because she knew that when Niles had discovered she was gone, he'd be broken._

 _Reluctantly tearing her eyes from her husband, C.C. took some time to inspect her new appearance. Her body no longer was the one of an 82 year old, but the one of a young, statuesque blonde. Her spirit looked as young as she had been when she'd married Niles, and her previously silver hair had lengthened and turned golden once again._

 _"Time to go C.C.," Sarah murmured while offering C.C. her hand._

 _"Where to?" the producer asked, still trying to get used to her new nature._

 _"To Heaven, of course!" Sarah said, soon noticing her friend staring at her husband. "Don't worry, you can watch him from above, and sometimes you'll be able to come down to see him too, but now we must go," she reassured her, tugging at her arm._

 _After heaving a pained sigh, C.C. took her friend's hand and walked towards the bedroom door. To her surprise, behind it she didn't find the hallway, in turn she found an empty room with a white stairway in the middle. It took a while for C.C. to understand it, but she had eventually asked "Stairway to heaven, right?" and Sarah had nodded in response._

 _Before climbing the first step, C.C. walked back to her husband and placed a kiss on his forehead "I love you, Niles," she whispered, tears prickling in the corners of her insubstantial blue eyes. C.C. gave one last glance at her bedroom and at her husband -who was oblivious of the recent developments- turned for the stairway, and finally stepped on it._

 _As she walked away from life, C.C. had to force herself not to run back to Niles. Part of her couldn't believe it was over, and she knew that what was coming was going to be torture for him, but she couldn't do anything to stop it... He'd have to learn to live without her, and she'd have to learn to watch him from afar. As C.C. got lost in her musings, the two women climbed the stairs in silence, and soon enough they spotted a pair of golden doors in the distance. Above them they could see a pristine blue sky without a cloud in sight, and the air smelled of spring; C.C. momentarily relished on the soft breeze that was caressing her now smooth skin. She closed her eyes and could almost imagine herself strolling around Central Park with Niles; they had taken to do so every Wednesday afternoon, and now that she was not going to be able to do it anymore, the memory of those strolls became almost precious. As she neared the gates, she felt a curious sense of peace bundling her, washing away all the pain and sorrow... She felt light, as though every problem or sin she had carried had been graciously lifted from her shoulders. Well that's probably what had happened... After all, she was in Heaven, wasn't she?_

 _"Open your eyes, C.C.," Sarah said, lightly shaking her arm. "We are about to arrive!"_

 _C.C. did as she was told, and as soon as she had reopened her eyes, she found that they were standing just before the big pearly doors. They seemed to glow, and were engraved with thousands of scenes from human history; if one observed carefully one could see the development of humanity since the beginning of time, and the last engraving showed -to C.C.'s surprise- her own death. Sarah caught the producer staring at it, so she smiled warmly at her._

 _"It's different for everyone, when I got here I saw my own death, too," Sarah explained as she took a step forward and knocked on the doors. Immediately, a man dressed in a white tunic materialized in front of the two women, and greeted them with a warm smile._

 _"Welcome to heaven, Chastity," St Peter said as he took a key from his pocket and unlocked the doors. As they slowly opened, a wondrous sight was revealed: CC could observe a seemingly endless garden before her -there were houses scattered all over it, and she could see people from all ages and times in history wandering through the immense garden. Her eyes glistened with happy tears when she saw Stewart Babcock, Noel, D.D., Niles parents and her grandparents standing before her, all with wide smiles on their faces._

 _"Welcome home, C.C.," her father whispered before enveloping her in a hug._

 _But of course, back on Earth, Niles was unaware of C.C.'s current whereabouts. As he was falling asleep, her weak voice mustered something he didn't quite understand and that awoke him from his light doze._

 _"What did you say, love?" Niles asked in a drowsy voice, but she didn't answer. He shook her a bit and asked again. "C.C., what did you say?" but still, no answer. Her body felt heavy against his, like it was dead weight..._

 _Niles breath caught in his throat._

 _No, she couldn't be... Or could she?_

 _He shook her again, this time more forcefully. "Honey, wake up," Niles let out in a strained voice._

 _But the blonde woman remained unmoving. He jerked upright on their bed, her body still against his, and placed his ear over her chest. To Niles' horror he didn't hear the usual beating of her heart nor did he feel her breathing._

 _"No…God…NO! This isn't true!" Niles screamed, tears blurring his vision. "C.C., PLEASE, WAKE UP!"_

 _But she didn't..._

 _When realisation finally hit him, Niles pulled her limp body to his and hugged her tightly as he broke down under the weight of reality. His beautiful wife, his best friend, his lover, his C.C... Was gone._

 _Everything that happened after he found her dead was a blur for the butler. Niles barely noticed when C.C.'s body was taken to the morgue, for he was still in shock. The cause of her death was old age, but it had come earlier than it should have due to all the strains her body had to endure during her lifetime - such as alcoholism or poor eating habits as a young adult._

 _The funeral was to happen two days after her death and, soon enough, Elisabeth -their eldest child- came by their house to retrieve a proper attire for her mother to wear. Niles numbly guided his daughter to her mother's closet, and he let her rummage through it until she found the outfit she was looking for._

 _Niles spent almost all his time crying on their bed, generally until he fell asleep. There were many times when he'd wake up and instinctively reach out for her, only to find her side of the bed cold and empty._

 _Losing his wife was unbearable to Niles, but the fact he was 12 years her senior made it even more painful. That was not how things were supposed to go, he had thought, he was the one who had to die first..._

 _When the dreaded day of the funeral arrived, Niles was barely able to get out of bed, but -once he was dressed with his best suit- he was able to gather enough willpower to make his way to the service. Not surprisingly, he was the first to arrive, and as soon as he had caught a glimpse of her body, Niles' knees weren't able to hold him anymore. His wife lay in an elegant casket, with her head resting on a small pillow and her hands entwined over her stomach. C.C. was wearing a beautiful pale blue dress, and all the rings had been taken off her fingers - except for her wedding band, as he had asked._

 _Niles went up to the casket and looked down at his wife. As he stared down at her he thought about the moment he had first seen her breezing into the old Sheffield mansion. He remembered falling in love with her little by little, about their kiss in the den, their big fight after he had proposed, and of their first time together. He thought about their honeymoon in Hawaii, where they had made love on the balcony, the waves crashing on the shore and millions of stars shining over them._

 _Niles could feel the tears streaming down his face, the heavy and painful feeling of sorrow filling his lungs, suffocating him. A hand touched his shoulder, and the sobbing man turned to see Elisabeth standing next to him. Without words, the woman hugged her father, letting him use her shoulder to cry. Niles would end up doing that for most of the service, leaning on his children and grandchildren for comfort. After a while he was able to stop crying, the love of his friends and family getting him through._

 _But once the ceremony was over and everyone had gone home, and Niles found himself alone in their bedroom with nothing but silence being heard, he lost all control and started sobbing uncontrollably._

 _"Why...why didn't you take me first...God, why have you left me alone to suffer through this...I'm the soft one, I shouldn't...I can't handle this. I don't have a reason to live...my love is gone, the light in my life has gone out."_

 _Niles sat up, and became incredibly angry, shouting "God, why have you done this to me? Why have you taken the love of my life away? Do want me to suffer? Do you want me to be broken? Without her, I am nothing! I have...nothing...I don't want to live a life without her here, by my side...I need my baby by my side..." Niles fell back against his pillow, sobbing uncontrollably. It was useless. Without C.C., he felt his life was meaningless._

 _C.C.'s spirit was observing his breakdown from heaven, and she could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks, too. The pain caused by seeing her husband suffer was like a dagger being slowly buried in her heart. Sarah stood next to her, with her hand closed tightly around C.C.'s. She knew how C.C. was feeling, for she had gone through the same with Maxwell._

 _"Sarah, I can't see him like this! I have to do something," C.C. said in between sobs._

 _Sarah sighed, she knew there was something her friend could do to help Niles. "Chas, remember when Max married Fran? Well, back then Max was feeling a bit guilty about marrying her because he felt he was being unfaithful to me. So, to help him have closure and move on with his life, I went down to say goodbye. After I visited him he was finally at peace with my passing, so maybe, if you went down to say goodbye to Niles, he'd feel a bit better, too."_

 _"Why didn't you tell me about this before, Sarah?!" the blonde producer asked, using her sleeve to wipe the tears from her cheeks._

 _"I am sorry, I wasn't sure you'd be able to go... You see, not every spirit can go back. In order to visit a living person, he or she has to truly need the visit of the spirit to move on with his or her life, and it seems that Niles desperately needs it. You only have this one time to say goodbye, and you can't stay more than half an hour." Sarah explained._

 _"I can't see him suffer... I can't watch him break down because of me!"_

 _"Then go, C.C.. Just for you to know, he won't be able to touch you, but you can touch him. He won't feel your touch the way he did when you were alive, but it's better than nothing."_

 _C.C. thanked her friend, and ran to the golden gates. To her surprise, she found they were already open and she immediately spotted the familiar staircase she had climbed a only two days ago a few meters ahead of her. She swiftly climbed down the stairs to the mortal realm, until she found herself standing in the middle of their living room. She glanced around what had once been her home, and began feeling homesick. It seemed almost unbelievable that she had been alive in that same living room only days ago, but now -for some strange reason and although she missed her home- she felt like she didn't belong there. It was as though the mortal realm anguished her, as though her spirit was too pure for the mundane mortality that surrounded her. It was as though what she had once considered beautiful now looked quite dull... Now that she had seen true beauty in Heaven, the human world was just a mere shadow of the perfection that was found in the spirit realm._

 _"Such a platonic thought," she muttered to herself as she made her way to their room, but once she reached it -and to her absolute despair- she found she couldn't open the door... C.C. tried knocking on it, but no matter how hard she slammed her hands against the hard surface, they produced no sound._

 _What was going on? Why couldn't she reach Niles? She had come down and now she was unable to see him? What was she supposed to do?_

 _And it was then when an idea crossed her mind... perhaps it wasn't her who had to go to him, perhaps it was him who had to come to her._

 _Praying that her deduction was correct, C.C. went back to their living room, sat before big piano that lay by the fireplace, and tentatively pressed down one of the tiles. The blonde beamed when she heard the glorious note coming from the instrument. Ever since they had gotten married, Niles had always liked when C.C. played the piano for him; she had been a talented pianist in her youth, so she had always been glad to humour her husband. There was one song that Niles particularly enjoyed -7 Years- so C.C. slowly began playing the first notes of the melody, and as they echoed through the mansion, she cleared her throat and began to sing..._

 _ **Once I was seven years old**_

 _ **My mamma told me**_

 _ **Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely**_

 _ **Once I was seven years old**_

 ** _It was a big big world,_ _but we thought we were bigger_**

 _ **Pushing each other to the limits, we won't learn them quicker**_

 _ **By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor**_

 _ **Never rich, so we were out to make that steady figure**_

 _Her voice effortlessly filled the air like the waves filling holes in a beach sand; it started as a quiet melody that soon went in crescendo until it swarmed into every nook and cranny in her old home. Her voice was music and grace, and it soon enveloped a dozing Niles like an invisible tendril - the sweetness of that familiar voice didn't awake him at first, for he had dreamed about it so many times that he believed it was just a dream... But it was almost too real, and slowly his tired mind began perceiving that the unnaturally penetrating voice wasn't coming from his head, but from the insides of his home. He jerked awake the moment this thought creeped to his mind, and he could feel his heart beating almost frantically against his bony chest. Had someone gotten into the house? He skulked to the door and silently opened it, allowing that voice to caper around him, inviting him to find the source of it..._

 _But it couldn't be! The source of that voice was no longer with him... Was he imagining things? Had he gone crackers? Well, there was only one way to find out!_

 _Niles ambled to the stairs, and scanned the living room from the top of the staircase. At first he didn't see anything, but when he looked again he spotted a slender, blonde woman seated before the piano, her lithe fingers moving expertly over the many tiles. She had her back turned to him, but he could almost swear that he was looking at..._

 _No. It was impossible. Wasn't it?_

 _ **"Once I was eleven years old, my daddy told me,**_

 _ **"Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely."**_

 _ **Once I was eleven years old**_

 _ **I always had that dream, like my daddy before me**_

 _ **So I started writing songs, I started writing stories**_

 _ **Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me**_

 _ **'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me**_

 _ **Once I was twenty years old, my story got told**_

 _ **Before the morning sun, when life was lonely**_

 _ **Once I was twenty years old"**_

 _That song... that song was precisely the song that C.C. had always sung to him whenever he had asked her to. It was his favourite, and he had always said it was perfect for C.C.'s voice. But how could that woman sing exactly like his wife? There was no rational explanation to what he was seeing, so he just let his heart take over and allowed the music to pull him to that mysterious woman. It was as though her voice was a magnet and he a mere piece of metal; there was no sense in fighting that pull, that supernatural command to get to that woman._

 _ **I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure**_

 _ **'Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major**_

 _ **I got my boys with me, at least those in favor**_

 _ **And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later**_

 _ **Once I was twenty years old, my story got told**_

 _ **I was writing about everything I saw before me**_

 _ **Once I was twenty years old**_

 _ **Soon we'll be thirty years old, our songs have been sold**_

 _ **We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming**_

 _ **Soon we'll be thirty years old**_

 _The butler finally dared to quietly glide down the staircase. His eyes were fixed on the blonde that was sat before the piano, and the closer he got to her, the clearer it became who she was. But... but... how? Was she truly who and what he thought she was? The tears had long started to fall, not only because of the possibility of that woman being his wife, but also because of the many memories that had surfaced in his mind as he listened to her song. Memories of them as a young couple holding a newborn Elisabeth, memories of Christmases and birthdays, and anniversaries and parties... That song was, and would forever be, linked to their life together, and in this time of loss hearing it was painfully bittersweet. She was no longer there to play it for him, she was no longer there for him to hold her at night or to tell him that she loved him..._

 _ **I'm still learning about life**_

 _ **My woman brought children for me**_

 _ **So I can sing them all my songs**_

 _ **And I can tell them stories**_

 _ **Most of my boys are with me**_

 _ **Some are still out seeking glory**_

 _ **And some I had to leave behind**_

 _ **My brother, I'm still sorry**_ _ **.**_

 _He remembered singing that very same song to his four kids - Elisabeth, Sophia, Andrew and Michael- before they went to sleep. He remembered telling them stories of how he used to fight and prank their mother, and of Fran's many antics. He remembered seeing his children grow, and comforting his wife as one by one left the house to build their own lives. He remembered the birth of each of their grandchildren, the emotion of seeing their babies have babies and the glory of seeing new life arrive to the world. He remembered the little pitter patter of feet running around the house, and the giggles that Scarlet -their first grandchild- had emitted whenever Niles tried to catch her in order to give her a bath but failed miserably. He remembered the fallen teeth, dressing up as Santa for Christmas, graduations, the many lazy afternoons spent cooking treats for his wife, kids and grandkids..._

 _He remembered everything._

 _But mostly, he remembered her._

 _ **Soon I'll be sixty years old, my daddy got sixty-one**_

 _ **Remember life, and then your life becomes a better one**_

 _ **I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once**_

 _ **I hope my children come and visit once or twice a month**_

 _ **Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold**_

 _ **Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?**_

 _ **Soon I'll be sixty years old**_

 _ **Once I was seven years old, my mama told me,**_

 _ **"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely."**_

 _ **Once I was seven years old**_

 _Niles reached the first floor as the song ended. The pianist didn't turn around, and he wasn't sure if she was aware of his presence; now that he was seeing her up close he definitely noticed some oddities, such as the faint glow that seemed to emanate from her very skin._

 _"Who are you?" he asked, not daring to take a step forward until she hadn't revealed her identity. She didn't answer, of course, she just took a deep breath..._

 _And turned around._

 _As soon as C.C. faced him, Niles' jaw almost hit the floor and he furiously rubbed his eyes, as though expecting her to disappear, to be a mere invention of his tortured mind..._

 _But she didn't disappear... She just smiled, and waited for him to formulate a coherent sentence._

 _Niles didn't know what to say, though, so he just stared at her; she looked as young as she was when they had gotten married, but there was something different about her... Yes, she was definitely glowing! It was as if a bright aura surrounded her, giving her the appearance of an angel. His wife looked wiser, stronger, healthier... purer._

 _"C.C.? Is that really you?" Niles asked in a shaky voice, supporting his weight against the banister._

 _"It is, lover. Come sit next to me," came as her reply. She scooted over and patted the space next to her, a little smile playing across her lips._

 _Niles hesitated for a second. What he was seeing went against all logic, it couldn't- Oh to hell with logic! He thought as he dived to the wraith before him, but - when he tried to hug her- his hands went straight through her._

 _"You're a...ghost?" he choked out, fruitlessly trying to touch her once again._

 _The woman remained silent for a second, but soon a cheeky grin spread across her lips. "No... I am a ghoul! Watch out! I am gonna steal the bodies from - of course I am a ghost! This pretty face is courtesy of that."_

 _It took a moment for Niles to understand it, but when he did, his mouth curved in a small smile. She was teasing him, just like she had done when she was alive, and how wonderful it was... Knowing he should continue the game, he gave her an unimpressed stare and scoffed. "Well, you can't blame me! With that face I certainly thought I was being visited by a demon."_

 _"Uh-uh," she tutted, "Now I am a kind-hearted spirit that lives in the grace of God, you can no longer use thos demon zingers you like so much on me."_

 _"Are you sure? Perhaps you are confused and your new home is Hell! Seeing as you are Satan's child it wouldn't surprise me you feel perfectly at home there," he shot back, momentarily forgetting she was gone and that this little reunion would only last a few instants. Right then, it was just the two of them, and nothing else mattered._

 _"Very funny, Methuselah. I am quite sure I got to Heaven, and besides..." she purred, a smug smile on her face. "If I had gone to Hell I wouldn't be a mere minion, I would be sitting on the throne-"_

 _"Bossing everyone around, your favourite hobby! Because, even in the afterlife, you are a go-getter, pushy woman."_

 _The spouses laughed for what felt like the first time in ages. They'd miss that, the banter, the games, the little witticisms... Would they be able to live without them?_

 _"So, do tell me," he started, trying to keep the fragile air of playfulness they had managed to create. "Has God sent you to haunt me? Because let me tell you, I'll gladly be haunted by you. Are you finally going to live up to your promise of haunting the butler's pantry?"_

 _Her smile wavered, and -shortly after- so did his. She hadn't come to stay, but saying so was proving to be a more than challenging task for C.C.. "No, lover, I just came to say goodbye... I saw your pain and I was allowed to come down and try to help."_

 _Niles looked at her, sorrowful disappointment in his eyes. "But...but you're here now. Why can't you stay?"_

 _"I have to go back to heaven, with Sarah, my father and siblings, your parents, and everyone else we've lost... They're all up there, waiting for me; waiting for you to join them, join us."_

 _"Then take me with you, C.C.," Niles pleaded "I'm ready, let me go with you!"_

 _C.C. shook her head. "It's not your time yet. But don't worry, my love, it won't be too long. And I'll be watching over you. You will never be without my protection," she then placed her ethereal hand on his cheek, making Niles shiver. Her touch felt like a cold cloth being placed against his skin, but it was bizarrely comforting. "You have to let me go, Niles, I've completed my journey here on Earth, and now I am in a place where there is no pain or suffering. I no longer belong to this world, lover, that's why you need to let me go... And you are wrong, the light in your life hasn't gone out! Now she's lighting your way from heaven."_

 _Seeing his reluctance, she took his face in between her insubstantial hands and forced him to look into her bright blue eyes. He noticed something different in them, as though they had seen something secret and holy... "I may not be here physically," she whispered, softly stroking his wrinkled cheek, "but I'll always live in your heart and in your memory. You have to go on without me Niles, I know you can."_

 _Niles shook his head. "No, C.C., I can't ... I can't... I just miss you so much, and the thought of being apart destroys me. You were my strength, you were my life... Without you, I have nothing."_

 _"Niles, we both prided ourselves in our outstanding strength... Well, now it's time for you to be brave, lover. I'll still be with you, only not in the way we were used to... But just for you to understand that I will always be with you, here is a little reminder," C.C. let go of his face and swiftly took her wedding band off her finger and gave it to Niles._

 _"How did you... How do I have the ring... you are a ghost..." he mumbled, visibly paler than before. He stared at the little gold thing in wonder, not actually believing that he was holding the ring with which she had been buried._

 _C.C. silenced him by placing her finger over his lips. "Don't ask. I am borrowing it to you so you'll always have me near you. You'll give it back to me when we are reunited, ok?"_

 _Niles nodded, his eyes welling up with tears. C.C. took him in her arms and kissed him. Her lips felt cold, but so incredibly real._

 _"I must go now, Hazel," she said_ _before giving him one last peck on the lips. She tried to memorise those soft lips, for she knew they'd be foreign for the foreseeable future. She hadn't realised just how much she loved kisses until she had married Niles, and probably kissing him was going to be one of the things she would miss the most about being alive. "I am running out of time."_

 _As much as Niles did not want her to go, he felt a warm sensation in his chest that told him everything would be alright, and for the first time since C.C.'s death, Niles smiled. "May I ask you one more question, C.C.?" he pleaded in a weak voice._

 _She hesitated, and looked at a seemingly empty corner of the living room. She relaxed_ _for a moment, and then turned her attention back to him. "Yes, lover."_

 _"What is heaven like?"_

 _The question was so simple, so endearing, so... human. Of course he knew there was a Heaven, her apparition proved so, but what was it like? Was it how they showed it in movies? Or something completely different? Was it located in the middle of fluffy, white clouds? Or was it another world that couldn't possibly be explained to a simple mortal? He wanted to know where she was going to spend the rest of eternity and ,hopefully, where he'd spend his own eternity, too._

 _C.C. smiled warmly at him, not surprised by his question at all. "Heaven? Oh it's beautiful! It looks like home, our home. There is an exact copy of our mansion up there, the surroundings being the only difference between the two houses. You see, the mansion is located in the middle of an endless garden! I've also discovered that I can't access to every room in our house, yet. Some doors are to remain locked until you join me, like the one of our bedroom. So, for the time being, I'll be sleeping in the guest room," both spirit and butler chuckled. "It's always sunny up there, just how you like it!"_

 _"No thunderstorms? That's good...you know how much I hate thunderstorms..." Niles said in a brittle, remembering one night not long ago when a storm had rolled through, and he shook all night. C.C. had had to hold him through the night to make him feel secure._

 _She was about to say something when her attention was soon caught by something he couldn't see. She was looking at the same corner of the living room once again, and he noticed the deep sadness suddenly tainting her delicate features. It was as though she wanted to say 'five more minutes', but couldn't..._

 _It was time to say goodbye._

 _C.C. looked back at him and kissed his forehead. "We will be together again soon, Niles. Keep my ring close to you, and you'll always be safe," not being able to resist doing so, she pressed her lips to his one last time and murmured "I love you, Mr. Brightmore."_

 _"And I love you, Mrs. Brightmore." Niles replied, tears moistening his cheeks._

 _They shared one last smile as she stood before him, her body angled to the heavenly stairway that was invisible to Niles' mortal gaze. "Close your eyes and count to three," she gently instructed him. It would be easier this way, she thought._

 _"But, you'll be gone when I-"_

 _"Close your eyes, Niles," she cut him off, a reassuring smile playing across her lips._

 _Niles wanted to say no, to observe her walk back to Heaven, part of him wishing he could follow her. But he knew better than that, so -after heaving a sigh of resignation- the old butler closed his eyes and began counting. "One," he said, his voice barely a whisper._

 _"two," she continued as she walked over to the long staircase and climbed the first step. "Goodbye, lover."_

 _Niles gulped and whispered, "three."_

 _After he had said that word, the air around him seemed to shift. It was as though her essence -which had been enveloping him- had suddenly disappeared. The room felt colder, emptier, but strangely enough, Niles finally felt as if he could breathe._

 _C.C. walked back to heaven with a smile on her face, feeling a lot more at peace now that she knew he was going to be ok. This sense of well being only increased as she neared her new world, and C.C. supposed it was one of the many pros of Heaven; there was no suffering or preoccupation, your soul was completely at peace..._

 _She greeted St. Peter when she crossed the golden doors, and headed back to the mansion, where she found Sarah_ _and D.D. eating cheesecake in her kitchen_ _._

 _"So, how did it go?" Sarah asked offering C.C. a piece of cheesecake, which the blonde newcomer gladly accepted._

 _"He's going to be okay." C.C. answered, smiling at the thought of her husband._

 _And she was right..._

 _Down on earth, Niles was going to bed. He snuggled her old nightgown -the one that still held her characteristic scent- close to him and fell asleep, dreaming sweet dreams about his wife._

* * *

As C.C. remembered her first days in Heaven, she couldn't help but to feel a pang of sadness in her chest. Although she loved her new home, she couldn't wait for him to come to her... Only then would Heaven be Heaven.


End file.
